Editing Amstrad PC3386SX

{{Infobox computer
| name         = Amstrad PC3386SX
| image        = [[File:Amstrad PC3386SX (1990 leaflet).jpg|260px|frameless]]
| caption      = PC3386SX with monitor and keyboard, from Amstrad's 1990 leaflet
| manufacturer = Amstrad plc
| type         = Desktop personal computer (IBM PC/AT compatible)
| release date = 1990
| price        = DM 4,699 with 14-inch VGA monitor (Germany, 1991)
| cpu          = Intel 80386SX at 20&nbsp;MHz on a plug-in processor board; 80387SX socket
| memory       = 1 MB, expandable to 4 or 16 MB with four identical SIMMs; optional 64 KB cache
| storage      = 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy drive; 40 MB AT-IDE hard disk, 100 MB optional
| graphics     = Built-in Paradise VGA with 256 KB, up to 800 × 600 on a multi-frequency monitor
| expansion    = Two full-length and one half-length 16-bit ISA slots, one full-length and one half-length 8-bit
| ports        = Parallel (25-way), RS232 serial (25-way), Amstrad mouse, VGA, monitor power outlet
| power        = 145&nbsp;W internal supply with 100–120 / 200–240&nbsp;V selector
| dimensions   = 425 × 135 × 390&nbsp;mm (W × H × D)
| os           = MS-DOS 3.30A
}}
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The '''Amstrad PC3386SX''' is the top model of Amstrad's "Generation 3" desktop PCs of 1990, alongside the [[Amstrad PC3086]] and [[Amstrad PC3286]]. It uses the PC3286's main board and case with a 20&nbsp;MHz 80386SX on its own processor daughterboard, and was sold with a 40 MB hard disk as standard.<ref name="lf3386">Amstrad plc, ''PC3386SX'' leaflet, © August 1990, p. 2 (specification). Hosted as [[:File:Amstrad PC3386SX leaflet (1990).pdf]].</ref><ref name="g3cpu">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 7-1 to 7-7. Processor speeds, fitting an 8087, 80287 or 80387SX co-processor, and opening the system unit.</ref><ref name="g3links">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 11-1 to 11-10. Expansion slots, opening the lid, and the option link tables for the PC3086 and for the PC3286 and PC3386SX.</ref> ''Amstrad PC International'' tested one with the optional 100 MB Conner drive in 1991 and called it the flagship of the range.<ref name="apci91">Thomas Kallay, "Big Brother: AMSTRADs Flaggschiff der Generation 3: der PC3386 SX", ''Amstrad PC International'', February/March 1991, pp. 41–42. [https://archive.org/details/68_Amstrad_PC_International_1991-02-03 Internet Archive]. Retrieved 2026-10-02. Specification table and test of a PC3386SX with a 100 MB Conner disk.</ref>

== Specifications ==

{| class="wikitable styled-table" style="width:70%; text-align:left;"
|+'''PC3386SX (Amstrad leaflet and user manual)'''
! Item !! Value
|-
| Processor || 80386SX at 20&nbsp;MHz, slowed to 10, 7, 5 or 4&nbsp;MHz by software; 80387SX socket
|-
| Memory || 1 MB parity-checked, 32 bits wide, expandable to 4 or 16 MB; built-in LIM expanded memory
|-
| Cache || 64 KB of 35&nbsp;ns cache RAM, optionally fitted
|-
| Floppy drive || 3.5-inch 1.44 MB
|-
| Hard disk || 40 MB IDE, 28&nbsp;ms; 100 MB Conner as an option
|-
| Expansion || Two full-length and one half-length 16-bit ISA slots, one full-length and one half-length 8-bit; expansion bus at 8&nbsp;MHz
|-
| Video || Paradise VGA with 256 KB on the main board; 640 × 480, or 800 × 600 with a multi-frequency monitor
|-
| Power supply || 145&nbsp;W
|-
| Size || 425 × 135 × 390&nbsp;mm; keyboard 475 × 35 × 200&nbsp;mm
|-
| Software || MS-DOS 3.30A
|}
Sources: Amstrad's leaflet and manual, and ''Amstrad PC International''s test.<ref name="lf3386" /><ref name="g3spec">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 1-2 to 1-4. Specifications of the three models and memory configuration.</ref><ref name="g3links" /><ref name="apci91" /> The specification page of Amstrad's manual gives the processor as 16&nbsp;MHz, but the leaflet, the magazine and the manual's own DEVICE example all give 20&nbsp;MHz.<ref name="g3spec" /><ref name="g3device">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 4-2 to 4-18. The DEVICE command: display, floppy drive, cache, memory map and processor speed settings.</ref>

== Hardware ==

The main board, links, SIMM sockets, cache, video and drive interfaces are those of the PC3286 and are described in the [[Amstrad PC3286 Maintenance Guide]].<ref name="g3links" /> The differences are on and around the processor board:

* The 80386SX and the 80387SX co-processor socket are on a daughterboard that plugs into the main board. Link LK720 on that board enables or disables pipelining.<ref name="g3cpu" /><ref name="g3links" />
* The 386SX reads memory 32 bits wide, so the four SIMM sockets must hold four identical modules, giving 1, 4 or 16 MB.<ref name="g3ram">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 8-6 to 8-10. Memory cache, SIMM upgrades, memory size and DRAM speed links, cache speed links.</ref>
* Links LK500 and LK501, where present, sit on pins 1 and 2, not on pins 2 and 3 as on the PC3286.<ref name="g3links" />

''Amstrad PC International'' listed the standard drive as a 40 MB Miniscribe AT-bus disk with a 28&nbsp;ms average access time and the power supply as 145&nbsp;W, and noted the speaker volume control and the mixture of horizontal and vertical slots.<ref name="apci91" /> The clock data is kept in a CMOS RAM with a built-in lithium battery, which Amstrad's leaflet quotes for a 10-year life.<ref name="g3care">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 13-2 to 13-4. Transporting a hard disk PC, PARK.COM, and replacing the CMOS RAM.</ref><ref name="lf3386" />

== Software and configuration ==

The PC3386SX shipped with MS-DOS 3.3 on two 5.25-inch disks and one 3.5-inch disk. Amstrad's automatic hard disk installation did not work on the magazine's machine with the optional 100 MB drive, because the routines were not written for a disk of that size, and the drive had to be prepared by hand.<ref name="apci91" /> SETUP, DEVICE and the memory managers are the same as on the PC3286; on the 386SX the manual also describes MEMM.SYS /E as a "LIMulator" that turns extended memory into LIM expanded memory, at some cost in speed, loaded after HIMEM.SYS.<ref name="g3start">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 3-7 to 3-15. Voltage selector, power switch, the "Please wait." self-test dots, start-up messages and BIOS versions, and the SETUP program for the PC3286 and PC3386SX.</ref><ref name="g3device" /><ref name="g3mem">Amstrad plc, [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual|''User Manual and MS-DOS Guide'' for the PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX]], 2nd ed. (1990), pp. 8-2 to 8-5. Base, expanded and extended memory, HIMEM, and LIMulators (MEMM.SYS /E) on the PC3386SX.</ref>

== Known faults ==

Faults shared with the PC3286 board, and the 386SX specifics, are in the [[Amstrad PC3386SX Troubleshooting Guide]]; maintenance is in the [[Amstrad PC3386SX Maintenance Guide]]. No capacitor list has been published: Amstrad's service manual for the range (SM-PC3000) has not been scanned.<ref name="cchsm3">Centre for Computing History, [https://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/27476/ "Amstrad PC3086 PC3286 PC3386SX Colour Personal Computers Service Manual"] (CH27476): 53-page service manual with schematics and wiring diagrams, reference SM-PC3000. Retrieved 2026-10-02.</ref><ref name="acme">acpc.me (ACME) archive, [https://acpc.me/ Amstrad PC section], directory DOCUMENTS_TECHNIQUES/SERVICE_MANUALS. Retrieved 2026-10-02. The PC3086/PC3286/PC3386SX, PC4386SX and PC5086/PC5286 service manuals are listed with placeholder images only, marked missing.</ref>

== Documentation ==

* [[Amstrad PC3086, PC3286 and PC3386SX User Manual]]
* [[:File:Amstrad PC3386SX leaflet (1990).pdf|PC3386SX leaflet (1990)]] – Amstrad's specification sheet
* [[Amstrad PC3000, PC4386SX and PC5000 Sales Leaflets]] – all six Amstrad leaflets and brochures

== Related pages ==

* [[Amstrad PC3286]] · [[Amstrad PC3086]]
* [[Amstrad PC4386SX]] – Amstrad's compact 386SX of 1991
* [[Amstrad PC2386]] – the 2000-series 386 model
* [[Hard Drive Maintenance and Repair]] · [[Floppy Drive Repair]]

== References ==
<references />

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[[Category:Amstrad]]